Reading Reports of Mathilde Lamour
Today I would like to tell you about a book, which changed my vision of autism at the time. I was in a psychology degree program and I was interested in autism as part of a student job. I wanted to better understand people with ASD. A university professor strongly advised me to read “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time”, I quickly bought it and indeed, this book had a definite impact on my way of seeing things and understanding people with autism.
I will start with a summary, then I will give you my personal opinion.
“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” is a 2003 mystery novel by British writer Mark Haddon. The novel is narrated in the first-person perspective by Christopher, a 15-year-old boy, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, high-functioning autism, or savant syndrome. However this is what we assume, at no point is the term “ASD” used, rather Christopher is described as a mathematical genius who has trouble interpreting social situations and does not understand metaphors. All begins with the discovery of the murder of the neighbour’s dog, speared by a garden fork. Christopher decides to investigate the dog’s death. Christopher’s investigation of this event leads him to a series of discoveries about her family. The novel is written as if Christopher is writing it for a class assagnment. For exemple, he numbers the chapters in prime numbers because that is what he likes.
I think that the author expertly captures an autistic mind set, the book’s emotion is indirect: we know how the other characters must be feeling, even if Christopher can’t see it himself, and we feel for Christopher as he is in situations he can’t understand. However, I have come to realize, through my student work, that this novel is not an accurate portrayal of Asperger’s. While Christopher does have many traits of someone with autism, this novel teaches readers autism’s stereotypes, rather than the reality. There has been an increasing prevalence of characters with Asperger’s on TV shows and films, and often its representations are misrepresentative. A common stereotype is that people with autism have a special talent. Although savants make up only about 10% of the autistic population, they are predominantly represented in shows and movies, such as “Rain Man” and “Atypical”. Sensory dysfunction, speech challenges, and repetitive behaviors like flapping or rocking are rarely seen in the media.
Nevertheless, this novel became so prominent that it has been one of popular culture’s introductions to the autism spectrum. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime was adapted into a play, and many in the autisem community believe that the novel has contribut to understanding more people with autiseme. It is a book that can read at any age and which I recommend because it is serious while being funny. The novel provades an avenue for empathizing with people with developmental disabilities.